1982 Bentley Turbo Mulsanne Saloon

With the introduction of the Silver Spirit in 1980, Rolls-Royce continued to offer a Bentley variant and the new Mulsanne - named after the longest straight at Le Mans, scene of no less than five victories for the Bentley marque - was distinguished by its unique radiator shell, badging and wheel trims. The Mulsanne, and its Rolls-Royce sibling, provided ample performance from the 6.75-litre V8 (power, as always, being undisclosed and merely described as 'adequate') and the ride was superb thanks to independent suspension with coil springs front and rear, along with the Girling hydraulic self-levelling system. In an attempt to distance the Bentley marque from the Flying Lady, a turbocharged version of the Mulsanne was announced at the 1982 Geneva Motor Show, adding startling performance to bespoke luxury. A Garrett AirResearch turbocharger boosted power output by as much as 50 per cent, providing fantastic acceleration for such a big car. Inside, the Mulsanne boasted sumptuous leather upholstery, deep pile carpets and a traditional polished walnut-veneer fascia with full instrumentation. In an effort to distinguish the Turbo from the regular Mulsanne, Bentley added light alloy wheels, Turbo badging and the radiator shell was painted in the body colour. The Mulsanne Turbo sold in comparatively small numbers - just 498 were built between 1982 and 1985 - but was the first step in a major revival of the marques fortunes and represents unparalleled value for money today.